Piano Practice
by CrimsonSkyez
Summary: Ryuuta heads over to Asahi to bother Hayato, only to find out the blonde idiot is practicing the piano. Hilarity ensues. Sorta. RyuutaHayato, because their love is so bold.


Author's note: This is written in honor of my wonderful Hayato, which was supposed to be an RP concept but since we never got around to it, here it is in all it's awesome. This is a one shot that is Ryuuta/Hayato based, of course, as I love the idiots. Enjoy, and leave me comments, because those are awesome.

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Ippongi Ryuuta always tried to keep himself busy. It wasn't because he tended to get bored easily (which was true), but he liked constantly feeling like he wasn't just being idle and was instead being productive. So when his afternoon class was cancelled for the day, and Hajime, Sayaka and the others were nowhere to be found, Ryuuta decided on the next best thing to do to pass the time, and it could be summed up in two words: Bother Hayato.

Of course, bothering Hayato meant traveling through Asahi, which was never something Ryuuta enjoyed doing. The firey red head scowled at the higher class people who stopped and commented about his colors, about his hair, about his school, especially when the university Hayato attended rose into view.

Pride would always be fierce on both sides, although it decreased slightly since Ryuuta and Hayato saved the sun together. However, whichever side was telling the story would always alter it to promote their town in favor of the other.

It was really ridiculous, although Ryuuta knew he fed into it just as badly as the rest.

Even though he visited the school countless times, Ryuuta still felt intimidated by how immense it was compared to his own. Nothing against anything in Yuuhi, but Asahi had this way of making everything bigger and more expensive than necessary. He folded his arms scanned the crowd, trying to find a certain blonde in a sea of blue and white.

Nothing. Ugh, where _was_ he, anyway? You'd think that such a half breed would stand out among everyone else.

Ryuuta frowned and proceeded to wander about in such a way that he hoped wouldn't draw too much attention to him. It should have been practice time for those Asahi-onnas. Hayato couldn't have gone far, could he? And anyway, how dare he leave without Ryuuta finding him first! Making the Yuuhi leader waste his time coming over here, that ungrateful little piece of—

The angry tirade of thoughts ended and Ryuuta looked up. Something caught his attention. Something that sounded a lot like piano music. It really should not have made a difference, but it stood out against the drone of chatter that surrounded him. Curiosity took hold and he slunk over to look into the closest window, which he assumed to have the music coming from.

It was a music room, probably where music people came to do music things like practice and whatnot, but it was still really elaborate for a class room. Of course, that wasn't what immediately caught Ryuuta's attention. In fact, what drew his eyes was the person sitting at the grand piano, striking the keys with such grace and confidence, eyes closed and eyebrows furrowed in a look of total concentration.

Hayato. Hayato was playing the damn piano. Since when could he do that? Ryuuta scowled and crouched down in front of the window, trying to keep himself from being seen. Not that it looked like his rival was paying attention to anything anyway, focusing so raptly on each note and chord that echoed through the room that he certainly wouldn't see the black and red clad man crouched just outside with foot tall hair defying gravity spying on him.

Time passed quickly, and Ryuuta wasn't sure exactly how long he was there, watching Hayato play with such fascination. Why did the dumb blonde have to be good at _everything_? It annoyed Ryuuta to no end. Stupid jerk. And yet he stayed and observed and listened, vaguely aware of the fact that his legs were cramping up from staying in such a position.

The notes trailed off and eventually Hayato opened his eyes, shifting his head and moving his hair over his shoulder. He raised his eyes off the keys and… stared out of the window, at the Yuuhi leader who was staring back.

For a moment, neither of them moved. Hayato was stunned at being spied on, as well as a bit annoyed by the way his forehead creased, and Ryuuta wore a look of surprise at being busted.

Neither of them had the chance to do anything either, as suddenly a hand grabbed the back of Ryuuta's gakuran, and lifted him off the ground effortlessly. A surprised cry escaped from the red head and he widened his eyes, reaching out desperately to grab onto something.

"Yuuhi-chibi!" The booming voice exclaimed, and Ryuuta was turned to face the large white haired man, who wore a faintly amused smirk and held him up and out away from him so the Yuuhi dangled an additional two feet off the ground. "My, my, what a surprise it is to see you here, spying on my glorious leader Saionji-kun!"

"Put me _down_!" Ryuuta growled audibly, swinging his legs out lamely to try to kick the behemoth captain in the side. Not that that would accomplish anything, but it was an attempt, at least. The action not only missed, but it also caused Kaoru to laugh again, and he began to walk away from the building, keeping Ryuuta held at arm's length so he continued to dangle helplessly from his grasp.

"Oh ho ho! Certainly! I do hope you know how to swim, Yuuhi-chibi." The laugh was obnoxious and booming, and it grated Ryuuta's nerves. He hated being shorter than anyone, especially the captains. How dare they sling him around like some sort of doll! Even if he was trespassing, he wasn't doing so with ill intent!

Well, not _entirely_ ill.

Ryuuta couldn't afford to get his gakuran cleaned if he was tossed in the water. That would really suck. Honestly, he had to get out of this situation somehow, otherwise.. well..

"That is _enough_, Kiryuuin-sempai."

Alright, he would have preferred any way of getting out of this that did not require _that_ guy to show up. How did he even _get_ there so quickly? Stupid ouendan and their ability to show up randomly when people are distressed. Especially since Ryuuta wasn't distressed at _all_, despite his kicking and screaming and cursing at his impending doom. That ability was only cool for the Yuuhi side to have.

Stupid Asahi jerks.

Kaoru turned to face his leader, still holding onto Ryuuta as if he was a garbage bag, which caused the red head to see the well restrained smirk on the prince's face, as he stood with his arms folded and head canted to the side.

"What timing, Saionji-kun! I was just about to remove this from our beloved campus grounds." At 'this', he lifted Ryuuta higher, who growled and flailed out his arms again.

Hayato chuckled, and waved his hand dismissively. "Now, now, Kiryuuin-sempai. Disposing of _that_ in the river would only serve to pollute it, and wouldn't be very beneficial to the environment." His hand lowered, returning to rest on his arm, coolly ignoring the glare he received from the Yuuhi as he looked towards the white haired man holding him. "I will take care of him, though I appreciate your attempt."

"As you wish, Saionji-kun!" Kaoru released his hold on Ryuuta's gakuran and the Yuuhi leader fell the remaining distance until the ground rose up to catch him, landing hard on his rear. The lumbering giant headed off on his merry way, leaving Ryuuta with physical injuries and damaged pride, in front of his rival.

He was better off with the river.

"What are you doing here, gaki?" Hayato spoke quietly, in a patient tone well reserved for the Yuuhi leader that mimicked the one used for a child who never behaved as he reached down to help him up. Ryuuta grumbled, but took the hand anyway, using it to pull himself up to his feet.

"I came to find you." Came the rough growl which was probably as close to a 'thank you' as the Asahi leader was going to get as Ryuuta dusted off the back of his black uniform.

Hayato smirked wider, raising an eyebrow inquisitively. "You were bored, then? Fascinating. You could always do something more productive, such as coloring, instead of coming here to bother me."

Ryuuta glared at the blonde, doing wonders to hide his embarassment. "Well, maybe I'd rather come out here and disrupt whatever _you're_ doing, instead." A chuckle escaped Hayato as he rolled his light blue eyes skyward and turned to head back inside the building he just emerged from. Ryuuta pressed onward, hurrying after him to walk alongside him. "I mean, since you're not doing anything worthwhile anyway."

"Playing the piano _is_ worthwhile." There was that tone again.

Ryuuta snorted. "No, playing the piano is _stupid_. Anyone could do that."

Hayato stopped, and turned to face him once they stepped into the immense music room once more. "Can _you_?"

Ryuuta wasn't entirely aware of what he set himself up for, and gave Hayato a wary but confused glance. "Can I _what_?"

Hayato folded his arms again expectantly. "Can you play the piano?"

Ryuuta rolled his eyes. "Tch. Of _course_ I can."

"Care to show me, then?" Hayato motioned towards the piano with a delicately gloved hand, keeping the other arm perpendicular to his torso. Ryuuta narrowed his dark eyes at him, and then to the piano, before approaching it and sitting down. Pfft. Stupid piano. Of _course_ he knew how to play.

He just… never played one before. Or touched one. Hell, he couldn't even remember the last time he _saw_ a piano.

But he was never one to back down on his pride, or a challenge, or anything that would further show the fact that he was totally lying. Ryuuta claimed a seat on the bench and eyed the keys as if they would bite him, before gently setting his fingertips down and, after taking a deep breath to draw on the silence further, slammed out the most off key version of Chopsticks the world had ever heard.

Hayato was reduced to tears with laughter, as that was truly the most hilarious thing he ever heard. It took him a while to breathe again and recover enough to walk over and grab his wrists, lifting them off of the piano keys. "Ippongi, you cannot be so forceful with such an instrument." Hayato stated, although the force behind his words was lost as he was trying hard to contain his amusement.

Ryuuta glared up at him before he withdrew his hands from the keys and set them on his lap. "Well, I _said_ I could play." He grumbled.

Breathing still hurt, as did his sides, but Hayato managed to speak somehow. There were many words he could use to describe what he just heard, but knowledge of the instrument wasn't one of them. "Yes, that was indeed… a _special_ performance."

"Shut _up_, Saionji."

The blonde chuckled before moving to sit down on the bench next to Ryuuta. "Seriously, you cannot expect to play the piano if you intend on being as loud and brash with the keys as you are with everything else." The Yuuhi leader bristled and was ready to contest, before Hayato cut him off with three quickly played chords. Ryuuta lowered his eyes to the keys, even after his rival removed his fingers, and folded his arms.

"What makes you think I'd want to learn to play such a dumb instrument?"

Hayato smirked again, before responding in a tone that conveyed smug innocence. "You seemed rather interested in watching me practice before."

Ryuuta opened his mouth again, before shutting it and glaring at the piano. Stupid thing. Then again, he shouldn't have been watching Hayato for as long as he was. After all, it was just Hayato. Nevermind his expression, or the way he looked when he was absorbed in something that didn't require him yelling at or insulting Ryuuta for one reason or another. The silent condemnation of the piano was ended when Ryuuta felt his hands rise up, and he looked down to see Hayato setting them on the piano, gently holding them by the wrists.

"You have to be gentle. Here." Ryuuta watched as his fingers were positioned with Hayato's hands hovering nearby. He felt his cheeks warm as he sat there with Hayato's arms practically around him and holding his hands, watching the blonde being so girly and patient with teaching him that it was almost hard to realize that the idiot next to him was his obnoxious rival and wasn't usually so _adorable_.

Of course, he didn't realize that Hayato was still talking, which ended when the blonde met the red head's eyes, a bit confused as to why he was being stared at like his hair was on fire. "Well?"

"…Huh?" Eloquent as always, Ryuuta looked down at his hands, still poised over the keys. "…Oh, right." He hesitantly pushed down on them at the same time, and was a bit surprised by the pretty sound it made. He pressed very slowly, so the resounding chord wasn't as loud as his botched attempt at playing before.

Hayato smiled, which was also very rare for the Yuuhi to see. "And that is called a chord. All music is made up of them." Ryuuta noticed that his tone became less condescending as he went on, and he wondered how many people Hayato taught to play. His little spiel finished, the prince raised his hands again and played by himself, fingers moving gracefully over the keys as his eyes shut, and that look of rapt concentration returned to his face. Ryuuta watched quietly as he played some song which sounded familiar but the Yuuhi couldn't place it, knowing he couldn't ask because Hayato would certainly call him 'unsophisticated' or something to that effect, but instead watched Hayato's face and how absorbed he was in playing, and how oddly captivating it was.

It didn't even make a difference that the prince was showing off. A few measures in, and Ryuuta couldn't hold it back any longer. He leaned forward and kissed Hayato, which surprised the blonde in such a way that the next chord was loud in contrast to the others and consisted of his hands coming down too quickly on incorrect notes.

"What was that for?" Hayato murmured, pale skin notably flustered after they parted.

"Your lesson." If there was only one thing Ryuuta was better at, it was at getting his rival flustered, and he made sure to remind the blonde as often as possible. Hayato stared at him as if he was insane, and opened his mouth to say something but Ryuuta prevented that by leaning forward and snagging another kiss. Another jumble of notes was heard as Hayato was pushed up against the piano, and despite making a soft noise against Ryuuta's mouth he gripped at the front of his gakuran and tried to push him away.

"I should have let Kiryuuin-sempai toss you in the river, gaki!" Hayato hissed breathlessly. "Are you _insane_? Someone is going to see us!"

Ryuuta grinned, half lidding his eyes as he brought his face closer to his rival's once more. "Then maybe we should give them a reason to watch."

Maybe pianos really weren't that stupid.

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The End


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